Scholes Village Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Scholes Village Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

What is it like to attend this school?

Scholes Village Primary School is a calm place in which to learn. Pupils are happy and polite.

They enjoy learning new things. The school has high expectations and wants all pupils to do well. Pupils make strong progress from when they join the school to when they leave.

Pupils are considerate of others. Poor behaviour rarely disrupts learning. The school's values of 'compassion and respect' show in how adults and pupils play, learn and work together.

The 'calm corners' give pupils space to reflect and ta...ke time to reset if they need it. Pupils develop strong self-regulation skills. Staff support pupils in times of need.

As a result, pupils say that they are cared for and feel safe in the school.

The school displays pupils' work in the corridors. Pupils and staff take time to look at and marvel at the displays.

This school celebrates success and hard work.

The school has a rich offer of clubs and activities. Pupils enjoy sports, music, and gardening clubs, among others.

Many more clubs change throughout the year. Pupils are able to develop skills and interests beyond the curriculum.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Reading is part of every day for every pupil.

Children in early years enjoy stories, poems, and rhymes. Pupils', including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), interest in reading begins in early years. The school maintains this well throughout.

Older pupils read books on topics from space to Victorian England. Staff support pupils who find reading difficult daily. This helps the pupils improve their reading skills.

In the Nursery provision, communication and language are rich. Children talk to each other and talk to adults with confidence. The children use language which is linked to their learning.

The school is keen to develop pupils' spoken language further across all ages. At times, pupils use limited vocabulary when speaking.

Pupils, including those with SEND, are able to access and enjoy a broad curriculum.

Lessons are purposeful and engaging. Pupils learn the curriculum content that the school has identified as important. Trips and excursions build on classroom learning.

Trips to local castles support the history curriculum. The school also welcomes visitors into the school. These are often subject-related.

Local artists work with staff and pupils to develop art skills. These experiences help pupils remember what they learn in class.

In early years, the children concentrate well on the tasks they do.

The indoor and outdoor areas are safe for the children to explore the curriculum. Staff embrace children's curiosity to learn and question. The provision gives children an excellent start to their education at the school.

The school supports pupils with SEND carefully. The needs of pupils are identified and understood by staff. The school tracks pupils' development and if they need additional help, it is quickly put in place.

This is tailored to their individual needs. This helps the pupils make positive progress along with their peers. The school monitors pupils' needs and is quick to refine the support given when needed.

The school works with pupils and families to keep pupils' attendance high. Teachers motivate pupils to attend. The school tracks and monitors attendance daily.

This helps the school identify and remove barriers to attendance. Most pupils attend school on a regular basis.

Pupils are supportive of each other.

When the pupils see someone who is upset, they offer support and help. The personal, social, and health education (PSHE) curriculum offer helps pupils to be responsible community members. Pupils have a secure knowledge of democracy, the rule of law, and respect.

The school ensures pupils have experiences of a range of beliefs and faiths. Celebrating and learning about different religious festivals takes place. Pupils can recall various festivals linked to different faiths.

Pupils are respectful of different views, faiths, and religions. The school works with local groups, including businesses and old people's homes. Pupils enjoy making valuable contributions to the community.

Parents and carers welcome communication from the school. The school wants to build strong, lasting relationships with families.

Since the last inspection, leaders and staff have worked together with a shared aim to build on the school's strengths and resolve any weaknesses.

The school continues to improve and go from strength to strength. Reflective staff who are outward-looking work at this school. Staff feel supported by senior leaders at the school.

Leaders manage change with mindfulness. This helps address any potential increases in staff workload. The governing body is knowledge rich.

It has a strong understanding of the school. It focuses the strategic support it offers on the best interests of the pupils.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The school's focus on developing pupils' spoken language is at an early stage. This means that some pupils' oracy skills are not as well developed as they could be. The school should continue to implement the plans for more ambitious advancement in spoken language.

Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted's website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade.

This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school's work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in July 2015.